Friday, November 9, 2012

Why so serious?




I recently received an email and game from Louis Morin, aka MrJoker. Playing through the game, I got very nervous after White's 4th move, but as I played on I imagined that I could hear Heath Ledger's voice as the Joker "Why so serious?"

Indeed, despite the difficulties, MrJoker wrapped up the game like it was an amusing anecdote.

Hi Rick

Perhaps my most recent game on ICC could be of interest for your blog.


MrJoker - HarryP
Internet Chess Club, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nxe5?? 


Okay I am joker but not usually that much... 

4...Nxe5 

Only now did I realize that I forgot to play Bxf7+ before Nxe5+.
I am getting old I guess… 

5.Qh5 Qf6 6.0-0 g6 7.Bxf7+?? 


Never too late? 

7...Kxf7 

I must admit that I completely overlooked this. I thought Black had to take with the Queen or Knight. Now I have a typical Jerome gambit position… except for the fact that I am 2 full pieces down instead of “only” one. Anyway, White’s advantage is still decisive, it will only take a bit longer than usual to realize it.

8.Qe2 d6 9.Kh1 Ne7 10.c3 N5c6 11.d4 Bb6 12.Bh6 Qh4 13.Qe3 Ne5 14.Bg5 

14...Qxh2+ 15.Kxh2 Ng4+ 16.Kg3 Nxe3 17.fxe3+ Ke6 18.Rf6+ Kd7 19.Rf7 Re8 20.Nd2 c6 21.Raf1 Bd8 


22.Rxh7 Kc7 23.Rff7 Kb6 24.Bxe7 Be6 25.Bxd8+ Raxd8 26.Rxb7+ Ka6 27.Rxa7+ Kb6 28.Rhb7 checkmate


I hope you enjoyed this. But if you publish this game, tell your readers I advise them NOT to try 4.Nxe5.

1 comment:

Rick Kennedy said...

I particularly enjoyed how MrJoker's opponent did the "right" thing --twice-- by returning a piece to blunt White's attack.

The final chuckle was when Black chose to defend with the "wrong" Rook (GM Andy Soltis once suggested that whenever either Rook could be played to a certain square, the lazy annotator could usually get away with commenting "wrong Rook" no matter which one was played) and got checkmated for it.